Man pleads guilty to string of fires in Gloucester
A man has plead guilty to starting a string of fires in Gloucester in one night.
Last updated 14th Nov 2024
Anthony Reed-Metcalfe plead guilty to three counts of arson at Gloucester Crown Court on Tuesday.
The 32-year-old had been accused of starting fires at three properties in Gloucester in the early hours of Sunday 29 September this year.
Police had been called to a property on Southgate street shortly after 1am and while on scene another fire was spotted at a building two doors down.
Multiple calls were then made to police reporting large bin fires at locations across the city.
A witness was able to identify a suspect who was then spotted on CCTV at 3am in Gloucester Railway Station car park.
Police attended the scene and found Reed-Metcalfe leaving The Station Hotel through a broken window.
He was quickly detained and arrested and admitted to officers that he had started a fire in the building by setting light to a mattress.
Analysis of CCTV footage was able to identify Reed-Metcalfe entering the properties on Southgate Street before the fires began.
Detective Constable Tom Newrick, from Gloucestershire Constabulary's Criminal Investigation Department, said: "Reed-Metcalfe acted in a dangerous and irresponsible manner, potentially putting people's lives at serious risk through his actions.”
Reed-Metcalfe was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing.
A date for his sentence hearing is due to be arranged on Monday 18 November.